Sickle cell anaemia in Pakistan.
The sickle cell gene is found predominantly in Equatorial Africa and amongst the negro population in the United States. It has also been reported in Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, Southern India and Iran. Despite human migration from the Middle East, Iran and India to Pakistan, there have to date been no reported cases of sickle cell disease in Pakistan to the best of our knowledge. But unfortunately there has been no population screening to find out the true incidence of the disease. Our study demonstrates that the disease is not totally non-existent in Pakistan: over a two-year period we have collected eight cases in our department. Electrophoretic screening is obviously needed to find out the true incidence of the disease/trait.
Kazmi
K A
KA
Department of Medicine, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Katachi, Pakistan.
Rab
S M
SM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007565:Jaundice / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology